[P-PS05] Mars and martian moons

[PPS05-01] Martian Moons Exploration MMX: An Overview of Its Progress

*Kiyoshi Kuramoto^1,2, Yasuhiro Kawakatsu², Masaki Fujimoto², Maria Antonietta Barucci³, Hidenori Genda⁴, Naru Hirata⁵, Takeshi Imamura⁶, Jörn Helbert⁷, Shingo Kameda⁸, Kobayashi Masanori⁹, Hiroki Kusano¹⁰, David J. Lawrence¹¹, Koji Matsumoto¹², Patrick Michel¹³, Hideaki Miyamoto⁶, Hiromu Nakagawa¹⁴, Tomoki Nakamura¹⁴, Kazunori Ogawa², Hisashi Otake², Masanobu Ozaki¹², Sara Russell¹⁵, Sho Sasaki¹⁶, Hiroki Senshu⁹, Naoki Terada¹⁴, Stephan Ulamec⁷, Tomohiro Usui², Koji Wada⁹, Shoichiro Yokota¹⁶ (1.Hokkaido University, 2.JAXA, 3.Paris Observatory, 4. Tokyo Institute of Technology, 5.Aizu University, 6.The University of Tokyo, 7.DLR, 8.Rikkyo University, 9.Chiba Institute of Technology, 10.QST, 11.Johns Hopkins University APL, 12.NAOJ, 13.Université Côte d’azur, 14.Tohoku University , 15.Natural History Museum, 16.Osaka University)

Keywords:Phobos, Deimos, sample return, MMX, Mars, planet formation

The Martian Moons Exploration (MMX), to be the world's first sample return mission from the Martian system, has almost completed its critical design review (as of February 2023), and its development is moving toward the manufacturing phase of the spacecraft. The designs of spacecraft system, mission instruments, ground system, orbit, and spacecraft operation are going completed. The mission scenario is kept unchanged from the original plan: launch next year, about one year cruise to Mars, three years stay near the moons, and one year on the way back. This includes detailed observation of Phobos, rover drop to Phobos, two landings and sample collection, fly-by observation of Deimos, and Mars atmosphere observation during the period of stay. The onboard science instruments, telescopic camera TENGOO, light detection and ranging LIDAR, wide angle multiband visible camera OROCHI, near-infrared spectrometer MIRS, gamma-ray, neutron spectrometer MEGANE, ion mass spectrometer MSA, dust monitor CMDM, rover, and samplers are achieving the performance required to elucidate the origin of Mars satellites, early solar system processes leading to the formation of habitable planets, and the evolution of the Mars atmosphere. One of the bus instruments, the CAM-T telescopic camera, is identical in design to TENGOO and, when used together, will enhance Phobos' terrain mapping imaging, which is essential for landing site selection. The engineering requirements for a landing site include sunlight availability, earth visibility, reachability from orbit, small surface undulation, and a small slope. On the other hand, the accessibility of less-weathered, Phobos indigenous materials is the most important scientific requirement for landing site selection. The currently available shape model of Phobos and the analysis of possible landing sequences have shown that there are multiple areas on the anti-Mars and Mars sides of Phobos that could meet the engineering requirements. Local slopes and surface undulations on horizontal scales same and below the size of the spacecraft (about 4 m between landing legs), which are necessary to ensure a safe landing of the spacecraft, cannot be specified even in the highest resolution images available at this time. The actual landing sites will be selected based on the results of detailed proximity observations from orbit for about one year from the arrival to the proximity of Phobos. Deimos flyby observations and continuous observations of the Martian atmosphere will be concentrated on the period immediately after insertion into the areocentric orbit and just before escape from the Martian sphere of gravity. For returned samples with a targeting total weight > 20 g, the early curation phase will involve the characterization of optical, mechanical, and thermal properties of the sample as an aggregate that can be compared with close-up observation data of Phobos. Preliminary analyses will be intensified before the initiation of the initial analyses to make a guide promoting the detailed analyses. Because achieving the science objectives of the mission requires cross-investigation of data from multiple instruments and sample analysis, five science strategy teams (SSTs: Origin of Phobos and Deimos, Early solar system evolution, Surface science and geology, Mars science, and Geodesy) are collaborating also with the working teams responsible for instrument development, operational design, data processing, landing site selection, and sample analysis to promote preparatory activities to generate science results.